The Cranial Nerves

Cranial Nerves

The cranial nerves are 12 pairs of nerves that can be seen on the ventral (bottom) surface of the brain. Some of these nerves bring information from the sense organs to the brain; other cranial nerves control muscles; other cranial nerves are connected to glands or internal organs such as the heart and lungs.

Cranial Nerves
Number	Name	Function	Location
I	Olfactory Nerve	Smell
II	Optic Nerve	Vision
III	Oculomotor Nerve	Eye movement; pupil constriction
IV	Trochlear Nerve	Eye movement
V	Trigeminal Nerve	Somatosensory information (touch, pain) from the face and head; muscles for chewing.
VI	Abducens Nerve	Eye movement
VII	Facial Nerve	Taste (anterior 2/3 of tongue); somatosensory information from ear; controls muscles used in facial expression.
VIII	Vestibulocochlear Nerve	Hearing; balance
IX	Glossopharyngeal Nerve	Taste (posterior 1/3 of tongue); Somatosensory information from tongue, tonsil, pharynx; controls some muscles used in swallowing.
X	Vagus Nerve	Sensory, motor and autonomic functions of viscera (glands, digestion, heart rate)
XI	Spinal Accessory Nerve	Controls muscles used in head movement.
XII	Hypoglossal Nerve	Controls muscles of tongue
Note: the olfactory "nerve" is composed of the rootlets of olfactory hair cells in the nasal mucosa and is not visible on the ventral surface of the brain. The rootlets end in the olfactory bulb. The olfactory tract contains nerve fibers projecting out of the olfactory bulb to the brain. The images in this table have been adapted from those in the Slice of Life project.

Hear IT!	Olfactory	Optic	Oculomotor	Trochlear
	Trigeminal	Abducens	Facial	Vestibulocochlear
	Glossopharyngeal	Vagus	Spinal Accessory	Hypoglossal

Can't remember the names of the cranial nerves? Here is a handy-dandy mnemonic for you: On Old Olympus Towering Top A Famous Vocal German Viewed Some Hops.
The bold letters stand for:
olfactory, optic, oculomotor, trochlear, trigeminal, abducens, facial, vestibulocochlear, glossopharyngeal, vagus, spinal accessory, hypoglossal.
Still can't remember the cranial nerves? Perhaps you need some Cranial Nerve Bookmarks to help you study! After you print the bookmarks, cut them into three individual bookmarks and use them to mark your place when you study.